The Scream of an Evening
by AndreaAtlyss
Summary: Chummy is badly hurt and Shelagh is left to cope... The 7 kids are left with a new Mum... Feedback welcomed!
1. Burned

***Hope you like this one! I love hearing from you and would love you to tell me what you want me to write about!***

One rainy afternoon in Popular and Shelagh and Chummy was making dinner for the 'Crew' as they jokingly called them. With 2 men, 4 infants, 2 toddlers and an 11 year old they had a mini army to feed! They decided on Fish and Chips, It was cheap, fast and easy for them to make.

" Chummy can you heat up the oil?" Shelagh asked, as she cut potatoes for chips.

Chummy nodded and went to put Rose in the playpen.

"I set it out for you." Shelagh said smiling.

"Thanks sis." Chummy replied, not realizing she spilt some on the floor. She stood next to the stove waiting for the oil to get hot enough to cook the fish.

"If it's ready the fish is on the table behind you." Shelagh said, pointing behind her then continuing to cut chips.

"Thank you." Chummy repeated.

Chummy went to turn around and grab the fish when she slipped on the oil she had spilled and fell, on the way down her hand hit the hot pot of oil and the whole thing spilled on her.

She fell on her stomach and the oil hit her back, causing a blood curdling scream to come from her.

Peter and Patrick had gotten off work and happened to be walking the same way home, in the distance they heard a scream.

"Someone must have gotten a good scare, eh?" Patrick said, as he and Peter chuckled.

"Eh, I would say so." He replied back.

The two walked in the door only minutes after the accident to find the children screaming and a cry for help. Peter and Patrick went running into the kitchen and saw what happened.

"CAMILLA!" Peter screamed, noticing that she was bleeding from the blow she took on the chair.

"What happened!?" Patrick said, taking a firm grip on his shaking wife. In all her years of nursing she had no idea what to do. Tears poured down her face as she looked at her unconscious friend, the closest bit of family she had. Peter ran to phone the flying squad while Patrick quickly lifted up Chummy's head and applied pressure to stop the bleeding. His shirt was covered in blood and Shelagh was sitting in the having a panic attack, he wished she could run to her and scoop her up, but he needed to stop the bleeding. Peter called the flying squad and Nonnatus, all he could say was a shutter of jumbled words "Chummy. Help. Please." and he hung up, they came as fast as their feet would let them.

Peter sat next to his wife being careful not to touch her as she was covered in burns.

The flying squad transferred the unconscious woman to The London and she was rushed into theater, Sister Evangelina went with Peter and Chummy and sat with him for the many, many hours that it took.

Sister Julienne told Trixie and Cynthia to pack a few days clothes and told the Other nuns that they would need to fill shifts. Sister Julienne went straight to Shelagh and Patrick went clean up the oil and now dried blood. Today was an awful, awful day. Patrick explained what happened to the three women as they tried to hold back tears. Trixie and Cynthia were sent to go Put their things in the guest bedroom and move the two small cotts into the room with them.

"Oh, I never thought about that." Cynthia said, turning her brow.

"What?" Trixie said.

"Chummy was still nursing the babies, they aren't bottle trained, what are we going to do?" The young nurse said, sitting down on the bed, putting her head in her hands.

Shelagh walked by at that very moment and heard everything.

"I will." Shelagh said, concern stricken in her face ready to take anything but 'No' for an answer.

"Oh, Shelagh you can't!" Trixie commented, resting her hands on her hips.

"No. I can. I have over compensated for weeks now, the four feed at different hours. I will be fine." She informed, as the two girls faces dropped.

Both girls knew that they had not even one leg to stand on, as Chummy's closest of kin they were to listen to her, and agreed not to tell sister Julienne. The minute Shelagh told Patrick he almost keeled over in shock. "God has given me more than we need Patrick." He just looked at her like she was crazy. Both sets of twins were all on different schedules. The Noakes ate ate 5 and 6am, 12 and 12:30pm and 7 and 8pm. The Turners at 9 and 10am, 1 and 1:45pm and 8:30 and 9pm. It was going to be a hectic and tiring job, but she knew she had to do it, she would begin them on bottles for lunch just to make things work. Shelagh was now the mum of seven children, It HAD to work.

**FEEDBACK WELCOMED 3**


	2. Morphine

***Thank you Samantha for the prompt for this one! (Keep in mind this is based off of a true life story.)***

At The London Chummy somehow got away with a miracle, she has a concussion, eight stitches and nothing but first degree burns that would take only a week or two to heal. Peter sat with her, endlessly watching her every breath as the clock ticked by above his head. She was in a coma for 3 days and when she woke up she was in pain and on her stomach. She had no idea what had happened and all she wanted to know was if her babies were okay.

"Peter?" Chummy said in a hazy drugged state.

"I'm here its okay… NURSE!" He gently said to her, then yelled for the nurse to signal that she was awake.

"I thought I lost you!" Peter cried, beginning to weep he picked up her hand and kissed it, slowly and deeply.

"Peter why am I here? Why am I in pain?" She groaned, trying to make sense of things.

"You have burns all over your back from hot oil, you hit your head and lost enough blood that they gave you a transfusion to be safe. The burns are minor and you should be able to go home soon. " He assured, gently stroking her cheek.

"I want to go home! I need my babies… My Babies!" At that moment nothing else mattered not even Peter.

"Where are they? Are they okay! How are they being fed?!" Up until now even Peter hadn't thought about that, but he couldn't show his worry.

"Trixie, Cynthia, Shelagh and Patrick are with them and they are fine no need to worry." Chummy moved the wrong way too fast causing herself to bury her face in the pillow to keep herself from screaming.

"I'm going to get you something for the pain, I'll be right back." He drifted away from her slowly and fetched a nurse. The morphine put her in a sleepy daze that she couldn't fight, out like a light for hours.

Back at home Shelagh was adjusting to her new schedule, She had woken up for the day promptly at 5am. She picked up Rose fed changed and burped her and laid her back down and by the time she was done Philip was ready for the same. She would finish then get Tim off to school and go back to sleep till 9am get up and repeat the process with Finley then Cammie. After feeding she would get ready for the day hang out the wash that was needed. Freddie and Angela were very accustomed to sleeping in to 6:30 and when they woke they would snuggle with Shelagh and Patrick until 8:30 when he would get them dressed, fed and put in the playpen before he left for work. Trixie and Cynthia were ever so helpful to have, keeping the kitchen tidy and helping keep on top of housework.

Chummy day by day was getting better, but her stay was extended when a spot on her shoulder got infected. She was put on a week of Penicillin and did not get to go home as planned. Peter never left the hospital. They transported a cot into the room for him and no one dared to ask him to leave. Chummy for the first six days had to use an oxygen mask, the pain was just too much even the medicine couldn't help the breathlessness.

Each day a nurse would come in and send Peter outside the door to help her sit up only for minutes to express her milk and then back down she went. Chummy refused to let her milk dry up, she knew that her babies would need it and that was her protest. No one had the heart not to let her. Freddie was thirteen months old but he still liked to bond with his mother in the most comforting way, he rarely wanted to nurse anymore but when he did she wouldn't refuse. Chummy was going nuts and laying on her stomach all day was even worse, she had asked a few times for more morphine just so she would be unconscious, but that was her secret.

For now things were okay with Shelagh at home, She was so busy that she didn't get to go see Chummy, but she did get to talk to her on the phone a couple times when she was awake.

When she was awake she would pray, she prayed that God would heal her so she could come home, life without her sister was agony for her.


	3. In the Hospital

"Hello Peter." The Nurse said, coming in for her rounds and duties.

"Hello Nurse Pat, Time already eh?" Peter said, helping set his wife up.

"Afraid so." The Nurse replied, with a sympathetic tone and face.

"I'll be back later, as always. I love you." He kissed his wife on the forehead cupping her face in his hands, not wanting to let go but he knew he had to.

Peter shut the door behind him and began to do what he did everyday for the past two weeks, he would walk the halls to the bench outside and pray. He knelt his head down and a few minutes later he felt a hand on his shoulder. "ello son." Peter's father Bill said, looking up in utter confusion. "Dad, Mum? What are you doing here?" He asked, shock setting upon his face. "Ve came to see our daughter, vats what." Bill replied, as the two set next to their son.

"You will have to wait a bit." Peter smirked, not really wanting to tell them why.

"Oh, is vat so?" Irene questioned.

"She's… Uh, being milked." Peter said, failing to not laugh as he said it.

"She's what!" Bill said, looking at his wife and son who were splitting of laughter.

Irene knew exactly what he meant when he chose those words.

"on't look so shock dear!" Irene chuckled, patting her son on the back.

"They should be done about now, follow me." Peter said, standing up and walking back inside.

He lead them up the halls and to the room. "Sit here for just a minute." Peter gestured, to the bench outside of her room.

Peter walked into the room and his face immediately was taken over by a smile.

"They let you sit proper!?" He said, sitting on the edge of the bed by her.

"I can sit right now, but no sleeping on my back." Chummy said, giving her husband a kiss. When she lent over her hospital gown nearly hit her lap.

"Oh, Dear!" She exclaimed, quickly gathering herself.

"Here let me, you have guests." Peter said, tying the straps in a double knot for safety.

"Guests! Who?" She asked, very excitedly.

Peter walked over and opened the door. "Come on in."

"ello Sunshine!" Bill said. handing her a bundle of flowers that they picked from the garden.

Chummy gasped with excitement. "Mum, Dad! Oh you don't know how much this means to me!" Bill and Irene sat on each edge on the bed taking her hands in theirs.

"Ve couldn't wait any longer."

"Ve 'eeded to see our daughter." They replied, Chummy's eyes filled with tears.

"Peter hasn't left since I got here, he has taken good care of me." She replied, wiping the tears from her eyes and returning her hand to Irene's.

"Vat's good, ve taught em 'ell." Bill replied.

Chummy's face deeply saddened when she looked up at the clock.

"Vat's the matter Sunshine?" Irene asked, fearing she was in pain.

"Visiting hours are over in two minutes." She replied, holding back tears as she didn't want them to leave.

"Ah, vat's okay Sunshine, u'll be comin 'ome soon and ur muvva and an I will be 'roppin in."

Bill assured, and Irene nodded. the two of them gave their love and a kiss to her and the same for Peter before they left.

"Peter?" Chummy asked, as a stretch of worry blew onto her face.

"What dear?" he questioned.

"How are the children?" She replied, trying her hardest not to show how worried she actually was.

"Fine as ever! I talked to Shelagh and Freddie has taken to waking up and snuggling with her and Patrick in the morning!" He pointed out, assuring that they were fine.

"Oh, dear! That boy loves his auntie Shelagh!" She said, chuckling.

"That he does!" Peter replied.

"It's half past! Best be getting you laid down before the nurse goes into fits." Peter said, helping his wife to lay on her stomach. Not two minutes went by and the nurse came in did her rounds and left.

"That was a close one! One has rather came to not liking her!" Peter nodded in agreement, as he too laid down to go to sleep. Another day went by and everything was at peace, or so they thought.

Chummy woke at four in tears with pain, she was scared and didn't know what to do.

"Peter! Peter!" She gasped, searching for air that seemed like it wasn't there.

"What? What's the matter!?" Peter said, flying to his feet

"It… It hurts!" She said, as tears barreled down her face.

Peter ran out the door and to the nurses station, when he came back several nurses and a doctor ran to her side. They worked as fast as possible trying to figure out what was wrong with her, they moved the hospital gown away from her back to see that she was covered in large red welts. They started from her neck and ended at her toes, they covered her body and face.

"Quickly nurse! She needs twenty-five mills of Diphenhydramine!" The nurse made quick work and put Chummy on oxygen, her airway was almost shut and she was turning blue. The medicine started to work and her airway opened again. She was given Morphine for the pain and another two doses of Diphenhydramine to be on the safe side.

Peter was standing by the window when the doctor and nurse came in to check on her. Peter turned around and bumped into the table with the flowers that his parents brought for Chummy. His face dropped he immediately grabbed them, handed them to the nurse and told her to get rid of them. "These are Ann's Lace! Camilla is deathly allergic to Ann's Lace! How did I not see these sooner!" Peter felt so awful not knowing that that was what was hurting her. Chummy was still asleep in a drugged Morphine induced coma, the doctor explained that everything was looking good and she was sleeping fine and if she did okay for two nights on her back she could go home and continue her life as it was. No weight restrictions or limits but she was to take it easy and ease back into mummyhood.

When she woke up, Peter told her the happy news and she was over the moon.


	4. At Home

**SORRY SHORT CHAPTER I KNOW! **

Shelagh awoke as she did every day at five sharp, she went to get up and start her day when Patrick grabbed her waist and pulled her back into bed. "No one is fussing, come back to me." Willingly she pulled the covers back over her as he pulled her in close. She lay next to him for a few minutes, feeling his chest hit her back with every breath he took. She turned over to face him, their legs became entangled and they began into a slow deep kiss. Shelagh for the first time in almost three weeks had let go and fully relaxed and nothing else mattered at that moment. Patrick went to deepen the kiss when they were interrupted by the scream of young Rose. "You stay I'll get her." Patrick said, kissing her again and getting up.

Over time he knew each one of the children's cries and what they meant. He came back with her dummy, blanket and burp cloth and handed her to Shelagh. "Shhh, Wee one I know… I'm here." Patrick just sat and watched his wife and niece, It wasn't strange for either of them, but a simple act of need.

"Will you take her back and get Philip? Now I'm not ready to leave the bed!" She said, sliding down in the sheets and covering her head. "Of course I will. Oh, and you may not want to do that. I left a… gift." Shelagh's head popped out of the covers as she flailed out of their bed.

"Patrick!" She scolded, feeling as though the air ran out in their room. Patrick quickly retreated from the room laughing almost to tears. Shelagh flew the window open and that is where it stayed for the next good while. Shelagh did her morning routine with Philip and not 10 minutes after laying him down did Timothy come knocking. "Mum, Dad? Can we join?" He asked, holding Angela and Freddie. "Of course you can!" Shelagh said, taking Freddie as Patrick took Angela. Timothy climbed in the middle and they all snuggled up and fell asleep again for a while. Lazy Saturdays were the best for Timothy, he may have been eleven, but sometimes he needed to be the baby too. "Shelagh?" Patrick whispered, hoping she was awake to tell her the good news.

"Yes, dear?" She whispered, back.

"Peter called earlier, Chummy gets to come home in two days time."

"Oh, that's wonderful!"

"Yes, it is. I know you sent the girls away, but I asked if they would come help tomorrow and Sunday. Mrs. B offered to make us dinner and send it over to."

"Oh, how kind of her. And thank you Patrick."

Shelagh started running down a list of everything she needed to and wanted to get done.

Her day was full of dishes, bathing children, homework, laundry and everything else under the sun, but none of that mattered to her. Chummy was coming home. To their home.


	5. Stars

"Do you need help?" Peter asked, handing Chummy her coat.

"Afraid so, still a bit stiff." She replied, shrugging her shoulders.

"Oh, Peter. One is so glad that we get to go home!" She continued as he helped her with the sleeves.

"I phoned Shelagh earlier, Mum and dad are coming to stay tonight." He added.

"Wonderful." She smiled, knowing that they were coming to help made her feel so much better.

"Are you ready?" He asked, taking her hand.

"Perfectly, ready. Let's go home." She tightened her grip on his hand and they started for home, she insisted on walking home, so that is what they did.

They were greeted at the door by Peter's father Bill and Timothy, who enveloped her in a hug.

"Ello Petal, welcome 'ome." Bill said, giving her a kiss and Peter a hug.

"Auntie! I missed you so much! I made you this!" Timothy squealed, giving her a huge hug and handing her a card he made.

"Oh, Tim I love it!" She said, as she stepped in the house.

They all had a lovely dinner and caught her up on everything happening. She may have been home, but she wasn't quite ready to slip back into her life yet, and Shelagh wasn't going to let her either. The two were sitting in their room talking and rocking Freddie and Angela in their rocking chairs looking out at the stars. Chummy sat and stroked Freddies brown curls of hair, '_Like your fathers.'_ she would say. Freddie nestled into his mother and took in every moment he had before she put him down.

"Angela has been very clingy these past couple days!" Shelagh said, as her daughter pulled on her dress.

"Patrick mentioned that too, a touch of jealousy eh?" Chummy asked, Freddie began to undo her blouse buttons, telling her what he wanted.

"I guess so! Why is it that when one want's to nurse the other does too!?" Shelagh said, with a slight laugh in her voice.

Shelagh and Chummy both reached for the blankets in the cots next to them, wrapping the babies and covering themselves from the chill in the room.

"And why is it that they sound like little pigs!" Chummy added, laughing at the noise the two were making.

"I missed you!" Shelagh said, with sadness in her voice.

"I missed you too, I didn't think I would come home for a while there. I wanted to give up." Chummy replied, turning her brow.

"What do you mean? Cam tell me." She said, looking at the hurt on her face.

"I mean I almost gave up. The thought about telling one of the other nurses that I was in pain, before the other updated my chart." Chummy let out a deep sigh.

"You don't mean!?" Shelagh replied, looking flabbergasted.

"Yes, I do… Overdose. Gone painlessly. I was there." Feeling as though she couldn't look at Shelagh, shamed she turned away.

"Chummy! Why didn't you call me! Or have Peter call me!?"

"Because I was too ashamed."

"Of what? You had burns, and a horrible hospital stay away from your children!"

"I don't know." Chummy began to weep.

"Don't cry, it's okay. You are home now." Shelagh said, touching her arm to let her know that she was there.

Chummy nodded and looked down and the miracle in her arms, she thought about the choice she almost made until she couldn't any longer, As it brought her to much pain.

She hugged Shelagh and laid Freddie in his Crib, walking out she felt the need to be held by Peter. She climbed into bed and snuggled herself as close as possible to him and cried as he held her. Peter knew what she wanted to do, she had told him in the hospital. He tightened his grip on her and didn't ask why she was crying, he already knew. Bill and Irene were in the next room over and could hear her crying.

"Is she alright?" Bill asked.

"I 'ope so, she 'eemed so lost at dinner'' Irene replied, turning out the light and covering up.

"I worry 'bout 'er."

"And vat's all ve can do dear."

Twas the night of her homecoming, and all through the house. Not a soul was stirring, not even a mouse...


	6. Nightmares

Chummy woke the same way she fell asleep, wrapped in Peters arms. He barely got any sleep, but he didn't care. She needed to feel safe and the only place she did, was when she was with him. It was already half past seven, she wondered why no one cried and why Freddie didn't wake her. She got up and out of bed to go check on them, Philip and Rose were fast asleep but Freddie was missing. She walked upstairs thinking maybe he was helping Auntie get ready for the day. She walked past Shelagh and Patricks opened door and stopped herself, she backed up and looked in only to find Shelagh, Patrick, Timothy, Freddie and Angela all sleep. She quickly ran down and woke Peter,she dragged him upstairs and they saw just how much Freddie loved his Auntie and Unka. He was cuddled in by Shelagh and Timothy had one hand and Patrick had the other. They stood at the door and marveled at the peacefulness. They decided since for the first time that everyone was home and had nothing to do, that they would surprise everyone with breakfast. They cooked everything and Peter took the bacon off as Chummy yelled to the top of the house.

"Breakfast!" They all heard and grabbed their dressing gowns, one by one they sleepily shuffled into the dining room. Shelagh walked in with a sleepy Freddie and Patrick with a wide awake Angela.

"What-Ho Freds" Chummy said.

"I don't think he will be up anytime soon!" Shelagh said, giving a chuckle after.

"Non-sense! He is Peter's child. Freddie Bacon!" Chummy exclaimed, Freddie's head shot up and looked around, and so did Timothy. "Aparently Freddie and Timothy are Peter's!"

The two broke out into a fit of giggles.

"Let's eat!" Peter hollered, setting plates of food onto the table.

They ate their meal and decided that Horlicks in front of the fire and spending the day in each others company was just spiffy.

Peter and Chummy went to bed that night and about two in the morning Chummy was woke up. "Auntie I had a nightmare, can I sleep here?" Timothy asked, holding his blanket and bear.

"Of course you can dear. Come on, In the middle." Timothy climbed in and curled up, Chummy knew how bally awful one could feel after a nightmare. She rubbed his back until he fell asleep and continued herself. Timothy woke up before everyone else and went to the kitchen, he made tea and toast for the adults and delivered it to them in bed. He wrote a letter to Chummy and left it on her dresser. "Thank you Auntie and Unka, love you Timmie."

Chummy and Peter enjoyed their tea and got ready for work.

"Did Freddie sleep with us last night?" Peter asked, clipping his suspenders.

"No, Tim did. Nightmares." She replied, almost mumbling as she put her lipstick on.

"Why did he not go to Shelagh and Patrick?" He asked turning his brow.

"He said he wanted me, I think he was embarrassed."

"Oh I see, I hope he knows he's always welcome with us." He said, feeling a bit guilty for questioning. From that day on it was their little secret.

Chummy began to ease back into life as it was, slowly and surely.

Each day Peter had to rub a medicated cream over her scars, as they were still much too vulnerable for infection. Peter wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her between the shoulders, causing her to melt into him. He knew how hard it was for her to relax, and that did it every time.

Things were finally back to the way they once were, she was...Home.


End file.
